Paint paddle



Jan. 15, 1957 c, CARTER 2,777,676

PAINT PADDLE Filed Oct. 18, 1954 IN V EN TOR.

61%az 726$ Carfer.

PAINT PADDLE Charles A. Carter, Al'tadena, Calif.

Application October 18, 1954, Serial No. 462,765

This invention relates to painting apparatus and particularly to a paddle for mixing paint in containers in which the pigment has settled out of the vehicle.

When ready mixed paint is allowed to stand for any considerable length of time, the pigment settles out of the vehicle and forms a relatively solid cake at the bottom of the container which is difficult to break up when the paint is to be re-mixed for use. Usually resort is had to wooden paddles or the like but these often fail to loosen all of the pigment and the result is that not only is the pigment thus not mixed lost to use, but the resulting mixture is incorrect by reason of the failure to incorporate all of the pigment in the vehicle.

The present invention, taking these considerations into account, has for its principal object the provision of an improved form of mixing paddle which is so shaped as to insure that all of the settled pigment can be loosened from the bottom and walls of the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paint mixing paddle which is formed to provide maximum strength with a minimum of material while having suflicient paint engaging surface to achieve a high degree of mixing efiiciency.

A further object of the invention is to provide a paint mixing paddle formed of a strip of metal having a longitudinally extending curve formed therein to increase the rigidity thereof and having a notch formed in the side thereof to provide clearance for the closure engaging rim portion at the container opening.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such additional objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the provision of a paint mixing paddle in which the foregoing objects are realized in practice and disclosed, by way of example, in the following specification; reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of said specification and in which drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a paint mixing paddle embodying the present invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the paddle shown in Figs. 1 and 2 inserted in a paint can and showing the mode of use thereof in removing settled pigment from the bottom corner of the can,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modified form of can rim engaging notch and the mode of use of a paddle provided with the said modified notch to remove caked pigment from the groove formed by the cover engaging rim portion of the paint can, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation showing the configuration of said modified notch in more detail.

Paint cans are most commonly provided in one gallon, halt gallon and one quart sizes and the cans are commonly provided with rim portions R at the top thereof provided with a circumferential groove G in which the mating re-bent circumferential rib of a cover 9 flat.

2,777,676 Patented Jan. '15, .1957

The groove G forms a circumferential recess R in which the pigment collects and settles when the can is stored in inverted position.

The paddle 1 comprising the present invention .is formed of a thin strip of metal having a longitudinally extending curve formed therein to provide the desired stiffness in the paddle while allowing it to be formed of thinner metal than would be required if the strip were The lower end 2 is square and the upper en'di3 is rounded and provided with curved side edges to form a hand grip 4. Below the hand grip portion the sides 5, 5 of the blade portion of the paddle extend in parallel lines to the bottom end 2. Adjacent the hand grip and at an elevation above :the bottom end 2 approximately at the height above the bottom B of the paint can at.

which the rim R is located, one of the side edges 5 is provided with a pair of notches 6, 6 disposed at the rim heights of two sizes of paint cans above the bottom of the can, for example the heights of one quart and half gallon cans; said notches being of such size as to clear the rim portions while allowing the notched edge of the paddle blade to engage the side of the can. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the notches 6, 6 are on that edge of the paddle which would engage the side of the can if the paddle were to be moved in a clockwise direction as viewed from the top, to accommodate use by righthanded persons, but the notches may be formed at the other side of the paddle for use by left-hand persons. Also, while the paddle is shown with two notches for different sizes of cans, it is obvious that paddles may be made for individual sizes of cans with appropriate single notches.

The longitudinal curvature of the paddle adds greatly to the stiffness of the paddle with resultant possibility of the formation of the paddle from thinner metal. The thinness of the metal, in turn, aids in the initial stirring operation in that it cuts through the settled pigment better than would be the case if the paddle were formed of a thicker material or of the usual much thicker wooden paddle. The notched edge permits the sides and lower corner to be scraped to loosen all of the settled pigment. Since the paddle is formed of metal, it can be readily cleaned and stored for future use, the hole 7 in the handle end providing a convenient means for hanging it Primarily, this projection is employed to thus engage the recess R by lifting on the paddle to bring it into the recess as shown in Fig. 5 where it can serve as a fulcrum for the paddle in the initial loosening of settled pigment. Additionally, the side of the notch may be provided with a clearance recess 10 for the edge of the container rim. Thereafter, it can be employed to scrape settled pigment out of the recess in those cases in which the can may have been stored in inverted position. As in the case of the first described form of the invention the notch can be at either side of the paddle or only one notch can be I provided with paddles for individual sizes of cans. Since in respects other than those relating to the modified form of notch, the paddle is the same as the first described form, the same numerals have been applied thereto.

Both forms of the invention may be made economically by being stamped and simultaneously formed from The notches 8 are formed sheet metal and both forms of the invention possess the advantages above enumerated in connectionvwith the'description of the first form of the invention. Since modifications may suggest themselves to others, the invention is not 'to be deemed to belimited to the exact. forms [thereof above disclosed by way of example, and it will be vportion and a blade portion having parallel straight side edges terminating at a square distal end; said blade portion at one side edges thereof being provided with a notch so disposed that when the distal end of said blade is resting on the bottom of a container said notch will be horizontally opposite the cover engaging rim of the clear the container rim when said side edge-having said container and being of such size and configuration as to notch is in contact with the side wall of the container; the lower edge of said notch at the juncture with said side edge further including an upwardly extending projection adapted to be engaged with the recess between the container side wall and the adjacent side of the cover engaging groove in the container top rim for optional use as a cleaning means for said recess or as a fulcrum engageable with the side of said recess adjacent the cover engaging groove and about which said paddle may be angularly moved edgewise incident to cutting into settled pigment at the bottom of the container.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

